Governing and reversing mechanism for gas-engines.



No. 732,202. PATENTED JUNE 30, 1903. E. LOKER.

GOVERNING AND'REVERSING MECHANISM FOR GAS ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 1901.

No. 732,202. PATENIED JUNE 30, 1903. E. LOKER. GOVERNING AND REVERSING-MECHANISM FOR GAS ENGINES.

PL 9. 1 1. H0 MODEL. AP NATION FILED MAR 90 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED JUNE 30-, 1903,

E. LOKER. GOVERNING AND REVERSING MECHANISM FOR GAS'ENGINES.

APPLIO TION F L 9. 1901. N0 MODEL. A I ED [AR 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Mal 076:3

UNITED STATES Patented June 30, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN LOKER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL MOTORCOMPANY, OF SOURI.

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MIS- SEEGIFIGATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 732,202, dated June 30, 1903. Application fil d March9, 1901. Serial No. 50,417. (No model.)

To (I/ZZ whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN LOKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain newand useful Improvement in Governing and ReversingMechanism for Gas-Engines, of which the followingis a full, clear, andexact description, such. as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it ap- IO pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of a gas-engine to whichis applied my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view,

partly in section, of a gas-engine and showing a portion of my improvedmechanism. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, enlarged, of themechanism. Fig. 4. is a vertical sectional view, partly in sideelevation, of my improved mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional Viewon line 5 5, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View on line 6 6,Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is an elevational view, partly in sec tion, of myimproved governing and reversing mechanism. Fig. Sis a top plan view ofthe same; and Fig. 9 is an elevational view, partly in section, showingthe parts in a different position.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a governingand reversing mechanism for gas-engines, the object being to render thegoverning mechanism automatic in its control of the exhaust-valves, manyof the moving parts of said mechanism being housed in the casing of theengine.

WVith these objects in View the invention consists in the arrangement,construction, and combination of the several parts, all as willhereinafter be described, and afterward pointed out in the claims.

The type of engine shown in the drawings, to which my improved mechanismis attached, is commonly known as a four-cycle engine, said engineconsisting of two cylinders A in alinement and the pistons B,cooperating with a two-throw crank-shaft O. The pistons in operationmove toward or away from each other in unison.

A brief description of the admission and exhaust of the gases to andfrom the pistonchambers will be given in order that abetterunderstanding may be had of my improved mechanism. Assuming that acharge of gas is ignited behind the piston at the right, the same willbe forced inwardly, and the piston at the left will also move inwardly,said piston atthe left drawing in a supply of mixed air. and gas behindit. Ofcourse the exhaust-valve (shown open in the drawings at the leftinFigs. 1 and 2) will beclosed when the gases are being sucked in, whilethe intake valve (shown closed in Fig. 2) will be open. When the pistonsmove outwardly, the exhaust-valve of the righthand piston will be open,and the spent gases will be forced therethrough by the piston at theright, the. piston at the left in this operation compressing its air andgas, so that when it reaches the outward extremity of its movement itwill be in a position to best receive the impulse due to the explosionof said compressed air and gas, such explosion resulting, preferably,from the use of an electrical igniter.

The piston at the left now becomes the powerpiston and moves inwardly,and the'piston at the right draws in a new charge of air and gas. \Vhenthe pistons move outwardly, the air and gas is compressed behind thepiston at the right, while the piston at the left forces its spent airand gases out through the exhaust-valve, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the drawings, a indicates the intakevalve, which is preferably in theform of a check-valve, one of such valves being provided for eachcylinder, and b the exhaustvalve, there being one for each cylinder,which exhaust-valves are positively operated by a cam D, arranged uponthe crank-shaft. Oam D cooperates with bell-crank levers d, 0 connectedto the stems of the exhaust-valves, as shown in Fig. 2. I

I do not in this application make any claim to the details ofconstruction of the engine, except such parts as cooperate with and aredirectly affected by myim proved mechanism.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 6, it will be seen that the crank-shaft Ofinds a bearing in the engine-casing. 0 indicates a wearing sleeve orbushing arranged in the bearing and em- IOO bracing the shaft, as iscommonly practiced. This sleeve is interrupted near its inner end by agear E, which is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft and which gearwill hereinafter be termed the driving or power gear. F indicates asegment loosely mounted on the sleeve adjacent the gear E, said segmenthaving a projection in which is mounted a pinion G in mesh with the gearE. H indicates an internal gear loosely mounted on the sleeve 0 adjacentthe gear E and preferably opposite the segment F. The pinion G is inconstant mesh with this internal gear. The cam D, before referred to, isconjoined to the gear H, being preferably arranged on the inner face orback thereof, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The ratio of the gears E, G,and His preferably two to one and one to fourthat is, one revolution ofthe crankshaft 0 will impart half a revolution to the internal gearH-two revolutions of the.

crank-shaft being necessary for a complete revolution of the cam D. Thesegment F, before referred to, meshes with a pinion I, to which isconjoined, preferably, a smaller pinion I, said smaller pinion engaginga rack J. The reason for employing the small pinion I is to enable ashort stroke of the rack J to impart a complete rotation to the largerpinion I in order to rotate the segment (which is necessarily ofcomparatively large size on account of the diameter of the crank-shaftO) and circumferentially displace the pinion G. The rack J is mounted insuitable guideways on the casing and is connected,preferably, by a linkjto one member of a bell-crank lever K, said bell-crank lever beingpivoted to a projection on the'nose extending from the casing, whichnose affords a bearing, for the shaft. The other member of thisbell-crank lever carries a roller, which is received in an annulargroove of a longitudinally-movable collar L. This collar also cooperateswith the inner members of bell-crank levers M, said levers beingpivotally mounted'in projections extending from the collar M, secured toshaft 0. The outer ends of levers M carry balls, which are preferablyconnected by a spring. The halls M being connected by a spring will notbe thrown outwardly by centrifugal force when the engine is running atan ordinary speed. v Therefore the parts normally occupy the positionshown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which the pinion I is in mesh with thesegment at one end in readiness to rotate said segment to the left whenthe normal speed of the engine is exceeded when said engine is runningin one direction.

It has been found by experiment that the best condition under which anengine of the character described may be operated is to open therespective exhaust-valves before the pistons complete their inwardmovement, said exhaust-valves remaining open until the pistons reach theextremity of their next succeeding outward movement. The exhaustvalvesare then closed and a full charge of air and gas received, which whencompressed and exploded will impart an impulse whose greatest power isexerted at thebeginning of the inward movement of the pistons. In theevent that the engine exceeds its normal speed, so that the centrifugalforce of the governingballs overcomes the tension of theirconnecting-springs, said balls flying on twardly will cause the segmentto be-circumferentially displaced, which results in advancing the cam D,so that the exhaustvalves are openedbefore the pistons reach theposition of their inward stroke where the exhaust-valves were opened inthe normal operation of the engine. Thus the force of the explodedcharge is effective on the powerpiston for a smaller portion of itsstroke, and any increment in speed of the engine will gradually advancethe cam D to shorten the power of the impulse proportionately. Thisconstruction is very effective when the engine is running under load andthe load suddenly released, which release might cause the engine torace. The instant that the speed of the engine increases beyond normalthe cam D is advanced proportionately to the increase in speed, thegoverning mechanism being automatic in its action in this regard.Furthermore, as the exhaust-valve is opened in advance it will likewiseclose in advance of the predetermined time with respect to the normaloperation of the engine. The exhaust-valve being positively operated andclosing before the piston reaches the outward extremity of its movement,will cause a portion of the spent gases to remain in the cylinder, whichare compressed, and to the extent of the spent gases remaining in thecylinder the charge of fresh gases is correspondingly reduced. Thus asthe piston starts upon its inward movement the initial part of saidmovement is consumed by the expansion of the compressed spent gases, thespring holding the intake check-valve closed until the piston createssuction suflicient to lift said valve from its seat and induce a chargeof mixed air and gases to enter the cylinder therethrough. When thepiston compresses this small charge of live gases (mixed with theremaining portion of the spent gases) in its outward movement, thesubsequent ignition of such a smallcharge will'not be as powerful as thecharge which is normally admitted behind the piston when the engine isrunning at ordinary speed. The engine being governed as above described,there is practically no waste of fuel, and when'the engine is runningunder load a release of the load will not cause the engine to race; but,on the contrary, fuel will be consumed proportionately to the speed ofthe engine-and the load it carries. This automatic governing mechanismof course acts in the same way with respect to both cylinders. It willbe observed that the mechanism can also be employed in connection withan engine having a single cylinder or in connec- ICO tion with an enginehaving two or more cylinders arranged differently from those shown inthe drawings.

In the above description I have described a governing mechanism for usein connection with an engine designed to run in one direction only. Moststationary engines are built on this plan; but in engines for marine andother work, where reversals are required, it is obvious that thegoverning mechanism should be effective when the engine is running ineither direction.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9 I have shown a construction for reversing theengine and at the same time preserving the automatic action of thegoverning mechanism in such reversal of movement of the parts. Thepinion I is here shown as cooperating with a rack-yoke N, to which theend of the governing bell-crank lever K is connected by a linkconnection, as has been described with respect to the rack J. Thisrack-yoke, as it has been termed, is essentiallya frame carrying tworacks which are designed to cooperate with the pinion 1, depending uponthe direction in which the engine is run. For the sake of distinction Iwill refer to one of said racks as n and the other of said racks as n.The position of the parts shown in Fig. 7 corresponds to the position ofthe parts shown in Fig. 4, except that the pinion I is in verticalalinement with the shaft 0 instead of one side thereof, as shown in Fig.l, which necessarily displaces the pinion Gfrom the position shown inFig. 4. To reverse the engine, a lever O is operated so as to move theyoke-rack to the left. This movement is accomplished while the pinion Iis in mesh with the rack n, and consequently the segment is caused torotate onehalf a revolution. To do this, the rack 11 (and also the rack12) is provided with a suii'icient number of teeth to impart a completerevolution to the pinion I, also to I, which latter is provided with anumber of teeth corresponding to those on the segment F. When the leverO is operated and the position of the segment changed, it follows thatthe position of the cam D is also changed, being displaced laterallyone-fourth of a revolution. While the lever O is in its outward positiona lever P is operated, so as to depress the yoke-rack and disengage therack n from the pinion I. The spring connecting the governor-ballshaving been placed under tension when the lever O was moved to the leftnow acts to draw the yoke-rack back to its original position, and whensaid original position is reached a continuation of the movement oflever P will cause the rack n to engage the pinion I on the oppositeside from that where it was formerly engaged by the rack n, andconsequently the rack-yoke, while moved by the governor-balls in thesame direction, to the left, in governing the engine, will cause pinionI to rotate in directions depending upon whether the rack 11 or n is inengagement therewith. Thus the cam D, al-

though advanced by the governing action resulting from the engagement ofthe rack 02, say, to the right, will when the engine is running in anopposite direction and the rack 71 is in engagement be advanced to theleft. As the yoke-rack moves in one direction in its governing action, Iprefer to slot one end of the frame for the engagement of the lever P,so that the movement of said rack and its frame will not interfere withthe stationary position of said lever P. The lever 0, however, may bemoved idly by the rack-frame, as this movement is practically of noconsequence. To accommodate the vertical movement of the rack-frame, dueto the disengagement of the pinion I from either of the racks n or n, Iprefer to provide a finger 0 on the lever, which is in constantengagement with the rack-frame, said finger preventing independentlongitudinal movement of the rack-frame, but permitting independentvertical movement thereof. Also the lever P preferably has aspring-pressed finger p at its inner end designed to cooperate withopenings 19 in the engine-casing for determining its position, saidlever also having a spring 1) connected toit, which spring serves tohold the lever in either of its extreme positions by passing to eitherside of what might be termed a dead-central position of said lever.

I am aware that minor changes in the arrangement, construction, andcombination of the several parts of my device can be made andsubstituted for those herein shown and described without in the leastdeparting from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Pat out, is--- 1. In a governing mechanism for gas-engines,the combination with a centrifugallyactuated lever, of a sliding collaractuated thereby, a lever K operated by said collar, a rack connected tosaid lever K, a pinion in mesh with said rack, a segment which isrotated by said pinion, a pinion carried by said segment, a driving-gearmeshing with said pinion, an internal gear also meshing with said.pinion, and a cam carried by said internal gear; substantially asdescribed.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination with a movable controlling part, ofa governing mechanism therefor, means for driving said governingmechanism, a yoke-rack included in said governing mechanism, means formoving said yoke-rack to move said governing mechanism, and means fordisengaging one rack of said yoke from the governing mechanism andthrowing the other rack of said yoke into engagement with the governingmechanism; substantially as described.

3. The combination with a movable controlling part, of a governingmechanism therefor and its means for driving the same, in whichgoverning mechanism is included a frame carrying two racks for operatingthe governing mechanism in different directions depending upon which ofsaid racks is in engagement therewith, there being means for throwingeither of said racks into operative connection with the member of saidgoverning mechanism driven thereby; substantially as described.

4E. The combination with a movable controlling part,of a governingmechanism therefor and means for driving the same, in which governingmechanism is included a frame havin g two racks, said racks operatingsaid m echanism in different directions depending upon the rack inengagement with the governing mechanism, there being means for throwingeither of said racks into operative connection with the member of saidgoverning mechanism driven thereby, and mechanism enabling manualmanipulation of said frame; substantially as described.

5. The combination with a movable controlling part,0f a governingmechanism therefor and means for driving the same, in which governingmechanism is included a frame carrying a plurality of racks designed tooperate said governing mechanism in ditferent'directions, and means fordisengaging one of said racks from said governing mechanism, andthrowing another of said racks into engagement with said mechanism;substantiallyas described. I

6. In a device of the character indicated including a movablecontrolling part, the combination with a governing mechanism for saidcontrolling part and including a rotatablymounted member, of a yoke-rackadapted to have its respective racks separately engage said member,-means for moving said yokerack to move said member, and means fordisengaging one rack of said yoke from said member and throwing theother rack of said yoke into engagement therewith; substantially asdescribed.

7. In a device of the character indicated including a movablecontrolling part, the combination with operative mechanism for governingthe operation of said part and including a rotatablymounted member,means whereby rotation of said member causes said governing mechanism toshift its position to alter the movement of said part, a yoke-rack whoserespective racks are adapted to separately engage said member, agovernor controlled by the driven shaft, connection between saidyoke-rack and said governor for operating the former by the latter, andmeans other than said governor for throwing said yoke-rack, there beingprovision for causing either of the racks of said yoke to engage saidmember; substantially as described.

8. The combination with agoverning mechanism in which is included alever Kdesigned to be moved in one direction for governing the engine, aframe carrying two racks, said frame being connected to said lever, apinion with which said racks are designed to engage, but on difierentsides, whereby said pinion is rotated in different-directions dependingupon the rack in engagement therewith, means for throwing said racksinto and out of engagement with said pinion, and mechanism for lockingsaid means in position; substantially as described.

9. In combination with a governing mechanism in which is included apinion I, and a frame carrying two racks designed to engage with saidpinion, depending upon the direction of movement of the engine, of alever connected with said rack-frame whereby said pinion may be rotatedmanually, a lever engaging with said rack-frame, to disengage one ofsaid racks from said pinion, and to engage the other of said racks withsaid pinion, and means cooperating with said lever to hold the same andsaid rack-frame in their adjusted positions; substantially as described.

10. The combination with governing-halls,

of a spring connecting the same, a collar op-. erated by said balls, alever engaging said collar, a rack-frame connected to said lever andcarrying two racks, a pinion designed to engage one or the other of saidracks, a segment which is actuated by said pinion, a pin-.

ion carried by said segment, an internal gear and a power-gear in meshwith said last-mentioned pinion, a cam carried by said internal gear foroperating an exhaust valve, and means connected to said rack-frame,whereby the same may be manually operated to circumferentially displacethe segment, and means for moving said rack-frame to disengageone of itsracks from the pinion, permitting said frame to return to its normalposition and for engaging the other of said racks with said pinion;substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 6th day of March, 1901.

EDWIN LOKER.

Witnesses: GEORGE BAKEWELL, HARRY L. ARNED.

